1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand-held electrical appliance of the hairdryer, portable tool or similar device type which has controls the position of which can be varied to improve the ease and comfort of use.
In particular, it relates to a device of which the controls can be used just as easily by a right-handed person as by a left-handed person.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A great many electrical devices such as hairdryers and other appliances, be they household or other, generally consist of a body fitted with a series of functional members. These may, in the case of a hairdryer, be elements intended for heating, generally electrically, the air which is circulated by a motor and a blower and which is taken in at one end of the body. The air is heated up on contact with heating elements (generally electrical resistive elements) and then expelled at the opposite end in the form of a stream of hot air.
In general, the outlet end is shaped or may be fitted with removable adapters so as to shape the stream of hot air released.
Even if the said body is insulated, it is common practice for it to be provided with a handle which is intended for manipulating the hairdryer. Other pieces of equipment of the same type, intended for hairdressing, such as styling brushes, are shaped in a similar way.
Equally, other appliances or devices for household use are formed of a main body equipped with the functional elements and with a handle mounted on the body.
The handle is thus generally fitted with a series of controls, usually switches in the form, for example, of slides, push-buttons or rocking switches for controlling various functions.
In the case of a hairdryer to which reference will be made by way of example hereinafter, one or more switches control the speed of the blower, for which it is common, for example, to have three positions (off, low speed and high speed).
Other switches, which similarly have two and preferably three positions, control the heating. They generally have a position for switching the heating. function off, an intermediate position and a high-temperature position.
In general, an additional switch is intended to give a xe2x80x9cblast of cold airxe2x80x9d, that is to say, for a short period of time depending on the styling operation being performed, a stream of cold air. This type of switch is generally fitted with a spring, given that it is actuated only for a very short period of time and that in normal operation it is returned to its initial position by the spring to allow the normal function preset by the two aforementioned switches to be resumed.
It is also commonplace for there to be a button for locking the set-up and starting it.
In some instances, it is commonplace to provide, for one or other function, knobs for progressive adjustment, switches of the sensitive type or push-buttons for adjusting the power. All these controls, that is to say controls for operating and for adjusting, are designed according to the type of appliance and its intended use.
These controls, operating essentially as a series or array of switches or triggers, are usually fixed to the front part of the handle or are arranged to the side.
In the case of a hairdryer, the controls are used by the operator who may be a third party (for example, a hairdresser) but may also be a person who wishes to style or dry their hair themselves.
When the array of controls is arranged to the side, it would ideally be necessary to have two different models, according to whether the user is left-handed or right-handed. When the array of controls is arranged on the front face of the hairdryer, it can be used just as easily by the left-handed as it can be by the right-handed.
However, the latter configuration is not optimal because the user holding the handle in their hand has to be able to proceed by operating the appropriate switches using the fingertips, which in theory is easier to do if these switches are arranged to the side.
This configuration is particularly preferred when somebody wishes to dry their hair themselves, that is to say when, generally when looking in a mirror, the person is pointing the hairdryer towards themselves. In this case, the array of controls, if arranged on the front face, is practically in the palm of the hand. Here again, a lateral arrangement would be preferable, but once again this runs into the problem that a left-handed operator may be unable to use a device designed for a right-handed person.
It will also be noted that some users may prefer a position that is someway between the position on the front face and the arrangement corresponding to an angle of 90xc2x0 (in one direction or the other depending on whether it is a right-handed person or a left-handed person using it) corresponding to the lateral position.
The present invention sets out to provide a solution to the aforementioned difficulties, and in particular to provide an appliance for which the position of the controls can be altered according to the user""s desires.
The invention will be described with reference to the appended drawings which depict one preferred embodiment of the invention relating to a hairdryer.
This embodiment is given by way of illustration for a better understanding of the invention and is not in any way restrictive as regards the scope of this invention.